Featured In SaltyRunning.com

FEATURED

Originally Published on SaltyRunning.com

March 27, 2013

By: Doretha Walker a.k.a. Chipotle

I am the self-proclaimed poster child for women over 50 and fabulous. I am a marathoner and triathlete, as well as the ambassador of Black Girls Run! Charleston, boasting close to 850 members, which encourages all women to run, walk, and move towards getting healthier. At the moment, we are the largest running group in Charleston, South Carolina. When people see us running, they are amazed. It seems that a lot of people really did not think that African American women run. Well, I am here to tell you that we do and more of us are running daily. I started the group a year ago with just 5 members. Nationally, we have over 50,000 members and we are growing.

Besides that, I’m a faculty member of the Center for Women’s Leadership Institute, which is designed to teach the skills and strategies necessary for women to become capable and powerful leaders. I teach Introduction to Women and Gender Studies to undergraduates at the College of Charleston and masters’ level public administration courses at South University in Savannah, GA. My blog, found at www.wecanflyhigher.com, inspires women to reach high.

I like to eat miles for breakfast. By that, I mean I run usually before the sun comes up. I like to get it done. I will admit that I am not happy when my alarm clock goes off, but once I get up and put my running shoes on, I’m good.

There is a rumor out there that I coined the phrase, “I run for cupcakes.” I do love cupcakes, cupcakes with real buttercream frosting made with real sugar and butter. Not the artificial stuff and not penis high (you know, the cupcakes with towers of frosting). Actually, I only eat cupcakes maybe once every six months. I just like to tell people that is why I run. For whatever reason, that seems to make more sense than to say I run because I love it.

I get to run here regularly!

I run in a very beautiful place. I live three miles from the ocean and about a mile from mash lands. At any given time, I see dolphins, pelicans, egrets, loons, and other sea flow. I rarely get pictures of them while I am running because I am running and they rarely appear on demand

I have been running since 1981 just prior to joining the Army. My father who is a former drill sergeant was my first and only run coach. He used to run beside me singing cadence. Yes, it is true that he could run four miles in the same time that I ran two, but progress was made.

At the moment I have a decision to make: I need new running shoes. I am debating between another pair of Newtons or another pair of Altras. Eventually I will figure it out. I have recently fallen in love with Balega socks.

What I hope to add to this amazing site are my exploits dealing with whatever menopause throws my way, fashion advice (function before fashion, but why can’t we have both?), my tales as I start training for the Marine Corps Marathon, the benefits of running with a partner, group, and alone, and other interesting tidbits as they arise to include feminism.